A thin film or tape may be applied to the surface of an article to provide the article with a favorable design. It is known in the art that it is difficult to precisely position and adhere an adhesive-backed film onto an article. Further, it is difficult to apply the film without air becoming entrapped between the film and the article during the application process. It is also noted that if the step of applying the film is not continuous, a line mark (a shock line) may be formed in the film. Such a shock line impairs the external appearance of the film/article combination.
Some automobile assembly lines apply a thin film (e.g., a narrow width paint replacement film) onto automobile surfaces. More specifically, for example, a black adhesive tape (i.e., an adhesive-backed paint replacement film) may be applied to a vehicle sash so as to improve the appearance of the vehicle. The black adhesive tape, for example, comprises a film layer (made of vinyl chloride, for example) as a substrate and an adhesive layer (an acrylic-type pressure sensitive adhesive, for example) provided on the backside of the film layer.
It would be desirable to have a tool and related process for applying an adhesive-backed film having multiple widths, e.g., a first section having a first width and a second section having a second width, such that the multiple width film may be applied without shock lines resulting in the applied film or air becoming trapped between the film and the article.